Experiencing Life - Vertebrata

33-V
VERTEBRATA
Batoidea

Ocellated River Ray (Potamotrygon motoro)

Chapter Outline

Sources

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Batoidea is the superorder that contains the rays. It contains four orders.

Chondrichthyes
- Elasmobranchii
  - Selachii (page 33-IV)
    - Galeomorphii
      - Galeoidea
        
        Carcharhiniformes - Ground Sharks
        Lamniformes - Mackerel Sharks
        Orectolobiformes - Carpet Sharks
      - Heterodontoidea
        
        Heterodontiformes - Bullhead Sharks
    - Squalimorphii
      - Echinorhiniformes - Bramble Sharks
      - Hexanchiformes - Cow and Frilled Sharks
      - Pristiophoriformes - Saw Sharks
      - Squaliformes - Dogfishes
      - Squatiniformes - Angel Sharks
  - Batoidea - Rays (this page)
    - Myliobatiformes - Stringrays
    - Rajiformes - Rays
    - Rhinopristiformes - Sawfishes, Guitarfishes
    - Torpediniformes - Electric Rays
- Holocephali
  - Chimaeriformes - Chimaeras (page 33-VI)

MYLIOBATIFORMES

This is the order of Stingrays. As of 2024, 23 species of Myliobatiformes have been observed in iNaturalist in the US and 192 throughout the world.

FAMILY MYLIOBATIDAE

Manta Rays (Mobula)
Cow-Nosed Ray (Rhinoptera bonasus) - NCBI - 6 (KC Zoo)

SUPERFAMILY DASYATOIDEA

FAMILY DASYATIDAE - STINGRAYS
- Southern Stingray (Hypanus americanus/Dasyatis americana) - most iNat observations in the world for Myliobatiformes - 6 (Omaha Zoo)
- Maskray (Neotrygon) - 6 (KC Zoo)
FAMILY POTAMOTRYGONIDAE - RIVER STINGRAYS
- White-Spotted River Ray (Potamotrygon leopoldi) - 6 (SCZ)
- Ocellated River Ray (Potamotrygon motoro) - 6 (Omaha Zoo)
- Rio Negro River Stingray (Potamotrygon wallacei) - 8 (Shedd)
- Ribbontail Stingray (Taeniura lymma) - 8 (Shedd)
FAMILY UROTRYGONIDAE - AMERICAN ROUND STINGRAYS
- Haller's Round Ray (Urobatis halleri) - most iNat observations in the US for Myliobatiformes - 7 (San Diego to Santa Barbara)
- Yellow Stingray (Urobatis jamaicensis) - 2 (Florida Keys)

SUPERFAMILY UROLOPHOIDEA

FAMILY GYMNURIDAE - BUTTERFLY RAYS
- Butterfly Rays (Gymnura)
FAMILY HEXATRYGONIDAE
- Sixgill Stingray (Hexatrygon bickelli)
FAMILY PLESIOBATIDAE
- Deepwater Stingray (Plesiobatis daviesi) - only species in family (Indo-Pacific)
FAMILY UROLOPHIDAE - ROUND STINGRAYS
- (Trygonoptera spp.)
- (Urolophus spp.)

Resources:

RAJIFORMES

This is the order of Skates. As of 2024, 18 species of Rajiformes have been observed in iNaturalist in the US and 113 throughout the world.

FAMILY ANACANTHOBATIDAE - LEG SKATES

Borneo Leg Skate (Anacanthobatis borneensis)
Western Australian Legskate (Sinobatis bulbicauda)

FAMILY ARHYNCHOBATIDAE - SOFTNOSE SKATES

(Bathyraja spp.)

FAMILY RAJIDAE - HARDNOSE SKATES

Clearnose Skate (Raja eglanteria) - most iNat observations in the US for Rajiformes - 10 (US East Coast)

Resources:

RHINOPRISTIFORMES

This is the order of Shovelnose Rays. As of 2024, 5 species of Rhinopristiformes have been observed in iNaturalist in the US and 55 throughout the world.

FAMILY PRISTIDAE - SAWFISHES

Smalltooth Sawfish (Pristis pectinata) - (Southwestern Florida)
Longcomb Sawfish (Pristis zijsron) - 8 (Shedd)

FAMILY RHINIDAE

Bowmouth Guitarfish (Rhina ancylostomus) - 8 (Shedd)

FAMILY RHINOBATIDAE

Shovelnose Guitarfish (Pseudobatos productus) - most iNat observations in the US for Rhinopristiformes
Guitarfishes (Rhinobatos spp.) - (Florida, California), NOAH

FAMILY RHYNCHOBATIDAE

Wedgefishes (Rhynchobatus spp.) - (Indo-Pacific)

FAMILY ZANOBATIDAE

Striped Panray (Zanobatus schoenleinii) - only species in family (Equatorial West Africa)

Resources:

TORPEDINIFORMES

This is the order of Electric Rays. As of 2024, 4 species of Torpediniformes have been observed in iNaturalist in the US and 40 throughout the world.

FAMILY HYPNIDAE - COFFIN RAYS

Numbfish (Hypnos monopterygium) - only species in family (Australia), NCBI

FAMILY NARCINIDAE - NUMBFISHES

Small Electric Ray (Narcine bancroftii) - most iNat observations in the US for Torpediniformes - 2 (Florida)

FAMILY NARKIDAE - SLEEPER RAYS

(Narke spp.) - NCBI
Blind Electric Ray (Typhlonarke aysoni)

FAMILY TORPEDINIDAE - ELECTRIC RAYS

Pacific Electric Ray (Tetronarce californica) - 7 (Monterey Bay)

Resources:

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